04-14-1986 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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The MCTFLM considered public response at the meetings and prepared its report to the Metrop—.1itan Council, incorporating the task force positions on the issue and the findings and recommendations. This document const;tutes that report. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE The nature and extent of Discussion and Debate about puh;ic access to Lake Minnetonka has been taking place many years. For example, in the 1960s and early 1970s, large recreation open space sites were suggested by agencies including the Hennepin County Park Reserve District. For a ✓ariety of reasons, no proposals resulted in acquisition and development of large recreation sites which could pro-ide free public boat launch access on the lake. One factor which may have affected this was that boating pressure was lighter, with fewer boats and fewc- numbers of boaters s,�Pking access. Also, developn�!nt in lake communities had not closed off as great a percent of the shoreline as is now the case. Many lake municipalities permitted boat launching from fire lanes or other unmanaged access points and undeveloped areas provided parking near those access points. As development has occurred, the access points have been closed. At the same time, an ;,nprecedented rise in boat. sales has increased the number of potential boaters several times. Significant public agency attention to boat launch sites on Lake Minnetonka occurred in 1979 when the Metro Water Access Task Force, made up of repre- sentatives from DNR, Metro Council and the Minnesota Department of Energy and Economic Deve'opment, self i Lr.e Minnetonka access as a priority goal for acquisition. By 1981, the currently contested King's Point site had been identified by DNR and steps for acquisition began. Minn=t-ista formally opposed the acquisition in February 1982. A very intense debate caused Governor Al Quie to direct the Commissioner of DNR to stop acquisition pro,eedings and the Lake Minnetonka Task Force (83TF, was set up as follows (from P. I, "Summary," 83TF report): The Lake Minnetonka Task Force ::s formed in July of 1982 to prepare a .eport and make recommendation- to the Governor and Minnesota Legislature addressing recreational use of Lake Minnetonka and adjacent public land. The three areas studied were: 1) adequacy of public access, 2) surface use patterns and conflicts, and 3) adequacy of lake management and enforcement programs. The 83TF report was released in "'..ay 1Fr The report summarized its findings and recommendations were as follows: ( 1-2, "Summary," 83TF report): The Task Force found that opportunities for both boat and shoreline access were inadeugate in some areas of the lake. It also found that, during peak weekend afternoons, boat density in some parts of the lake presents potentially hazardous conditions. Conflicts c?'ist in the form of big boats vs. smaller boats, fast boats vs. slower boats, swimmir-ldiv ng vs. boating, and fishing vs. pleasure boating. The body of existing law and regulations was `ound to be adequate, but enforcement is. limited by inadequate funding. The Task Force recognizes public parking availability as a crucial component of adequate public boat launch facilities. 3